Scented golf club head

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a golf club head including a faceplate portion and a main body constituting a remaining part of the scented golf club head. An insert capable of emitting fragrance over a predetermined period of time is provided within a cavity or an opening formed in the main body.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is based on, and claims priority from, Taiwan Application Serial Number 95207044, filed Apr. 25, 2006, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to scented wood or iron type golf club heads. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various golf club heads have been designed to enhance their value for golfers. However, most commercially available golf clubs are designed for male golfers.

Therefore, there is still room for improving golf club heads, particularly in terms of meeting the particular needs of female golfers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a scented golf club head to create additional value of golf club for female golfers.

An iron type or wood type golf club head having features of the present invention generally comprises a faceplate portion and a main body. The faceplate portion has a front striking surface for striking a golf ball and a rear surface opposing to the front striking surface. The main body includes a top portion forming an upper part of the scented golf club head, a sole portion forming a lower part of the scented golf club head, a toe portion forming a forepart of the scented golf club head; a heel portion forming a rear part of the scented golf club head; and a hosel portion adapted to be fastened to a shaft.

To achieve the above listed and other objects, a cavity or an opening is formed in the main body for receiving a scented insert. Note that the scented insert includes perfume such that the insert is capable of emitting fragrance over a predetermined period of time thereby increasing the value of the golf club head.

The scented insert may be designed as a weight member, a badge or a shock-absorbing member. The scented insert may be formed by a conventional casting or pressing, and joined to the main body of the golf club head by inlaying, welding or adhesive bonding so that the golf club head is capable of emitting fragrance thereby increasing its value.

When the scented insert is designed as a weight member, it is preferably made of plastic or rubber, metal powders (such as tungsten) and non-toxic perfume (such as essential oil). When the scented insert is designed as a shock-absorbing member, it is preferably made of elastomer and non-toxic perfume (such as essential oil).

The golf club heads of the present invention have scented insert provided in the main body thereof, and therefore are capable of emitting fragrance thereby increasing its value, especially for female golfers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a scented golf club head according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the scented golf club head of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a scented golf club head according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a scented golf club head according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a front view of a scented golf club head according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there are presently preferred embodiments shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated.

Now, embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a scented golf club head 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. This scented golf club head 100 is an iron type golf club head including a faceplate portion 110 and a main body 120 made of metal (such as pure titan, a titan alloy, an aluminum alloy or a magnesium alloy). The faceplate portion 110 and the main body 120 may be integrally formed during a casting or molding operation. Alternatively, the scented golf club head of the present invention may be manufactured by integrally casting a main body having a faceplate-fitting opening by a lost wax method, fitting a faceplate in the opening, and welding the faceplate to the main body. If a welding process is conducted, the welded product may be further subjected to grinding and/or age hardening. The faceplate to be welded to the main body may be formed by casting or pressing.

The main body 120 includes a top portion 122 forming an upper part of the scented golf club head, a sole portion 123 forming a lower part of the scented golf club head, a toe portion 124 forming a forepart of the scented golf club head; a heel portion 126 forming a rear part of the scented golf club head; and a hosel portion 128 adapted to be fastened to a shaft 127.

The backside portion of the main body 120 has a cavity 130 for receiving an insert 132 and a cavity 140 for receiving an insert 142. Note that the inserts 132, 142 include perfume such that they are capable of emitting fragrance over a predetermined period of time thereby increasing the value of the golf club head.

In this embodiment, the insert 142 is designed as a badge, and the insert 132 is designed as a weight member. Preferably, the insert 132 has the same contour as that of the opening and is made of a material with a relatively larger specific gravity. With this arrangement, the center-of-gravity of the golf club head shifts rearward in relation to the mounting position of the insert. Accordingly, it is possible to further deepen and lower the center-of-gravity of the golf club head.

As shown in FIG. 2, the faceplate portion 110 has a front striking surface 110 a for striking a golf ball and a rear surface (not shown) opposing to the front striking surface. The faceplate portion 110 is provided with scoring lines 114 formed horizontally on the front striking surface thereof, i.e., generally parallel to the sole portion 123.

FIG. 3 shows a golf club head 200 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a scented insert 210 is provided within a cavity 220 formed in the main body 120. The scented insert 210 is disposed between the faceplate portion 110 and the main body 120, and in contact with the rear surface of the faceplate portion 110 thereby functioning as a shock-absorbing member.

FIG. 4 shows a golf club head 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a scented insert 310 is disposed between the faceplate portion 110 and the main body 120, and surrounds the faceplate portion 110 thereby significantly increasing the shock-absorbing property.

FIG. 5 shows a golf club head 400 according to another embodiment of the present invention. This golf club head 400 is a wood type golf club head including a faceplate portion 410 and a main body 420 made of metal. The faceplate portion 410 has a front striking surface. A scented insert 310 is provided in the main body 420 as a badge. The entirety, except for the badge, of the wood type golf club head 400 can be easily made by precision casting, for example, the lost wax process.

The scented insert of the present invention may be formed by conventional casting or pressing, and joined to the main body of the golf club head by inlaying, welding or adhesive bonding so that the golf club head is capable of emitting fragrance thereby increasing its value.

Specifically, the scented insert of the present invention may be formed by the following steps of:

(a) providing a molding die including a top mold and a bottom mold wherein the two molds together define a molding cavity shaped generally to conform to the to-be-molded shape of the insert.

(b) an insert material into the mold, wherein, when the scented insert is designed as a weight member, the insert material preferably includes plastic or rubber, metal powders (such as tungsten) and non-toxic perfume (such as essential oil); when the scented insert is designed as a shock-absorbing member, the insert material preferably includes elastomer and non-toxic perfume; alternatively, the insert material may include plastic or rubber and non-toxic perfume.

(c) hardening the insert material after the molding die is closed and clamped.

(d) unclamping and opening the molding die to take out the scented insert.

The golf club heads of the present invention have scented insert provided in the main body thereof, and therefore are capable of emitting fragrance thereby increasing its value, especially for female golfers.

As is understood by a person skilled in the art, the foregoing preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated of the present invention rather than limiting of the present invention. It is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structure. 

1. A scented golf club head comprising: a faceplate portion having a front striking surface for striking a golf ball and a rear surface opposing to the front striking surface; a main body constituting a remaining part of the scented golf club head, the main body having a cavity or an opening formed therein; and an insert provided within the cavity or the opening of the main body, wherein the insert comprises perfume such that the insert is capable of emitting fragrance over a predetermined period of time.
 2. The scented golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the insert functions as a weight member for adjusting the center of gravity of the scented golf club head.
 3. The scented golf club head according to claim 2, wherein the insert further comprises: plastic or rubber; and metal powders.
 4. The scented golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the insert functions as a badge.
 5. The scented golf club head according to claim 1, wherein the insert functions as a shock-absorbing member.
 6. The scented golf club head according to claim 5, wherein the insert is disposed between the faceplate portion and the main body and in contact with the rear surface of the faceplate portion.
 7. The scented golf club head according to claim 5, wherein the insert is disposed around the faceplate mount.
 8. The scented golf club head according to claim 5, wherein the insert further comprises elastomer.
 9. The scented golf club head according to claim 5, wherein the insert comprises plastic or rubber. 